Global paging system using packet-switched digital data network and remote country designation

ABSTRACT

A global paging system and corresponding method are disclosed in which an originating user pages a receiving user in a different country without the paging message being broadcast in all areas. According to certain embodiments, the originating user E-mails a web site or server of the paging system paging information, with the server then transmitting the paging message over a packet-switched digital data network (e.g. the Internet) to a receiving or terminating web site or server located in the different country. In certain embodiments, the receiving user remotely inputs a designated country into the paging system so that when the receiving user is paged, the paging system first pages the receiving user in the designated country or area without broadcasting the paging message in other countries or areas.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/752,624,filed Nov. 19, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,542 6,646,542, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in thisapplication.

This invention relates to a paging system and corresponding method ofuse. More particularly, this invention relates to a global paging systemutilizing a land-based packet-switched digital data network (e.g. theInternet) and a feature for permitting subscribers to remotely designatecountries in which they are, or expect to be, located. According tocertain alternative embodiments, the instant invention enables cellularphone conversations to take place country-to-country over a packetswitched digital data network, with the callee being able topre-designate which country(ies) he/she is able to receive calls in, orexpects to be located.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Paging systems and the like are old and well-known. For example, seeU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,396,643; 5,392,452; 5,552,779; and 5,548,814, theentire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,643 discloses a geographic-area selective satellitebased paging system and corresponding method. A terminator having apager for receiving messages selects a long-term preferred geographicarea and a short-term preferred geographic area. Alternatively, a pagingoriginator may select a customized geographic-area into which tobroadcast paging information. Thus, the area to which the page isbroadcast is limited. When the terminator leaves his normally preferredgeographic-area, he may call a gateway and provide a short-termpreferred geographic-area. Unfortunately, the paging system of the '643patent suffers from at least the following problems: (i) the satellitecommunication system which is utilized is both costly and may becomeunreliable in certain situations; (ii) the hardware and software neededfor satellite access and use is complicated, costly, and subject tobreakdown; (iii) when pages to the terminator are unanswered, theoriginator must blindly select a customized geographic-area in which thepage is attempted; (iv) only two geographic-areas, the long-term andshort-term areas, may be stored and/or adjusted by the subscriber; (v)the system may be difficult to implement in many foreign countries; and(vi) satellite communications are not cost-effective in circumstancesakin to the invention described below.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,286 discloses a system for providing communicationsbased on geographic location. Unfortunately, the system and method ofthe '286 patent would not be particularly useful in a global network, donot permit the subscriber to remotely select or designate countries inwhich he or she will most likely be, and is based on inherently limitedradio frequency (RF) communications.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,779 discloses a wide area paging system in whichpaging messages input in one local area can be broadcast to a receiverin another local area without necessarily broadcasting the message inall areas. Provided in the system of the '779 patent are a plurality ofpagers and means for transferring paging requests from one local area toanother where the intended recipient of the paging request is currentlylocated. Associated with each local area transmitter are a subscriberstorage means for storing a unique identifying address and a currentlocation for each resident pager. Thus, a paging message for a pagingreceiver normally residing in a first local area, but temporarilylocated in a second local area, is broadcast by the transmitting meansserving the second local area. For example, in the '779 patentdisclosure, the receiving user may telephone the system and thereafterbe prompted by computer voice to enter the telephone number from whichhe is calling, including the country code, city or area code, and thelocal number. Entry of the phone number allows the paging system to knowwhere to send the receiving user's messages. If there is no broadcastcoverage in the area entered, the receiving user will be so informed andthe messages will not be sent. Additionally, the disclosure of the '779patent includes a “roam mode” which is utilized when the receiving usertravels outside of his home or standard area.

Unfortunately, the paging system of the '779 patent is lacking for atleast the following reasons: (i) other than the roaming feature, thereceiving user cannot input into the system designated country locationswhere he or she expects to be in the future; (ii) the '779 system wouldbe inefficient if utilized on a global basis; (iii) the '779 system doesnot permit the service provider to bill users or subscribers on acountry-designation, or extent of coverage, basis; (v) the system forforwarding pages is burdensome, time consuming, and inefficient; and(vi) the roam feature is undesirable and expensive.

It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for amore efficient global paging system in which potential receiving usersor subscribers may remotely input country designations in which they areto be paged, and/or may remotely input a list of countries in which theydesire paging services. Furthermore, there exists a need in the art fora more cost efficient and simplistic paging system which does notutilize costly and complex satellite technology and/ortransmission-suspect data networks.

Regarding cellular phone embodiments of this invention, it has beendisclosed in publications to conduct phone-to-phone conversations overthe Internet. However, this would be inefficient for cellular phonesystems when the callee may be in any one of a plurality of foreigncountries, his exact whereabouts not being known to the caller. In sucha situation, it would be desirable to not require the callee's cellularphone to continuously have to update the system via roaming, for exampleas to its location, as this is expensive and inefficient.

It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill the above-described needsin the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to theskilled artisan from the following detailed description of thisinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, this invention fulfills the above-described needs inthe art by providing a method of paging a receiving user via apacket-switched digital data network, the method comprising the stepsof:

-   -   a) an originating user E-mailing a paging signal to a first web        site or server of a paging system, the first server located in a        first country and the paging signal including a pager I.D. of a        pager belonging to the receiving user and a paging message to be        sent to the pager;    -   b) designating a second country in which the receiving user is        to be paged;    -   c) the first web site or server transmitting the pager I.D. and        the paging message over a land-based packet-switched digital        data network to a second web site or server located in the        designated second country; and    -   d) the second server in the designated second country causing a        wireless transmitter located in the second country to attempt to        page the pager of the receiving user.

This invention will now be described with reference to certainembodiments thereof as illustrated in the following drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram/schematic of a global paging system or networkaccording to certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating how subscribers to the FIG. 1 systemmay input a list of countries in which paging service is desired and/ordesignate particular countries in which to be paged for a predeterminedperiod of time.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a PC screen prompting subscribers to inputa list of countries for service in the order in which paging is to becarried out absent a specific country designation.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram/flowchart illustrating two methods in whichthe subscriber may input country designation data into the FIG. 1 pagingsystem.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing how paging is carried out according to theFIGS. 1-4 system of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating how subscribers of the FIGS. 1-5system are billed in accordance with country coverage and countrydesignations carried out in a particular month.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS OF THIS INVENTION

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichlike reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

The instant invention is related to a global paging system whichutilizes a land based packet-switched digital data network (e.g. theinternet) to transmit paging data around the world so that subscribersto the system or receiving users may be paged in different countriesaround the world, regardless of whether the caller or originating userknows the exact whereabouts of the receiving user. The term “receivinguser” (RU) is used herein to define the recipient of a page or cellularphone call. Meanwhile, the term “originating user” (OU) is used hereinto describe the person or party who originates a page or cellular phonecall, i.e. the one who desires to page or call the receiving user.

When the originating user contacts the paging gateway, via either thepublic switched telephone network (PSTN) or e-mail 15 to attempt a page,he or she inputs the I.D. of the receiving user's pager along with apaging message. According to certain embodiments of this invention, thepaging system is able to page the receiving user in a plurality ofdifferent countries around the world, regardless of whether theoriginating user knows or inputs the country in which the receiving useris located. According to this invention, the RU is paged in one countryat a time (or in one coverage area at a time) so that the system doesnot simultaneously page the RU all over the world.

Once the paging gateway is accessed by the originating user, a web siteor server 9 with access to a land-based digital data network, such asthe internet, transmits to a receiving server or web site over digitaldata network 3 a paging information signal, e.g. a packetized digitaldata signal, that includes the pager's I.D., the paging message, countrydata indicative of the country to which paging is first to be attempted,and data indicative of the addressable coverage area in the country tobe paged.

FIG. 1 illustrates a global paging system according to certainembodiments of this invention. As shown, the paging system includesland-based packet-switched digital data network (e.g. the Internet) 3which interconnects a plurality of different addressable coverage areas5-8, each of areas 5-8 being located in a different country around theworld according to certain embodiments of this invention. It will berecognized by those of skill in the art however that additional coverageareas are also provided in the FIG. 1 paging system, with numerouscoverage areas being located in a particular country in certainembodiments. For example, about 200 coverage areas may be located in theU.S. while only 15 are located in the U.K., and 4 in Mexico. Eachcoverage area may have its own server or web site 9 according to certainembodiments of this invention, or alternatively, each country may beprovided with only one server 9 regardless of the number of coverageareas in each country.

The global paging system includes at least one web site or server 9located in each illustrated coverage area in certain embodiments, atleast one digital transmitter/receiver 11 located in each coverage area,at least one paging transmitter or tower 13 located in each coveragearea, a communication link (e.g. PSTN or internet) 15 in each coveragearea 5-8 for allowing originating users (OUs) to access the gateway inorder to page a selected receiving user (RU), and at least one DTMFtelephone and/or PC 17 for allowing originating users to access thegateway in order to page desired RUs. Each transmitting (or receiving)tower 13 is for sending out a paging signal 19 (via radio frequency,microwave, etc.) to a selected pager 21 of the receiving user in anappropriate coverage area.

According to alternative embodiments of this invention, cellular phones23 may be used instead of pagers, wherein the system shown in FIG. 1 maybe utilized to enable cellular telephone calls to take place around theworld via network 3 regardless if the originating user knows the countryin which the receiving user is located (and no roaming feature isneeded). In cell phone embodiments, each tower 13 represents a cellphone tower for transmitting/receiving digital data to and/or from cellphone(s) 23.

In operation, the FIG. 1 system may work as follows. An originating userutilizes his/her conventional DTMF telephone 17 and calls a localtelephone number of the paging service (e.g. 1-800-444-0000) in order toaccess a local web site or server 9 of the paging service.Alternatively, the originating user may use his or her PC 17 to accessthe paging system via a modem (not shown). Alternatively, the OU, fromhis/her own web site on network 3, may E-mail or otherwise access thesystem via link 15. According to still other embodiments, the OU maysimply use his DTMF phone and dial the number (e.g. 212-xxx-yyyy) of theRU's pager and thereafter input the paging message to a server 9 whenprompted.

After the originating user (OU) telephones or E-mails an originating website or server 9 in his local (or distant) coverage area or country,server 9 prompts the OU to input a paging message, the I.D. of thereceiving user's pager 21, and the country or coverage area where the RUis located if this is known to the OU. The OU, via DTMF for example,then inputs the paging message, the RU's pager I.D., and when possiblethe country or coverage area data where the RU is located. According toelectronic-mail (E-mail) embodiments using network 3 as link 15, the OUmay E-mail the RU's pager I.D., paging message, and/or the country wherethe RU is believed to be located to the local or remote web site orserver 9 accessed (i.e. originating server) so that only onetransmission to the web site 9 is required.

When the OU inputs the location of the RU (via country or coverage areadata), web site or server 9 then accesses packet-switched digital datanetwork 3 and transmits receiving site 9 I.D. data, the pager I.D., andthe paging message data over network 3 to the receiving or terminatingweb site or server 9 in the country or coverage area (i.e. one of 5-9)input by the OU. Once the terminating web site or server 9 in thecountry where the RU is located is given the pager I.D. and pagingmessage, this terminating server transmits or causes paging message andI.D. data to be transmitted 11 to the appropriate transmitting tower 13,and instructs or causes the tower to page the RU in its coverage areaand deliver the paging message.

According to certain embodiments, only one web site or server 9 isprovided in each country along with a transmitter/receiver 11, while aplurality of different towers 13 are provided in each country therebyallowing the server 9 to decide which tower is located in the coveragearea designated by the OU or RU. According to certain embodiments, theterminating site 9 causes all towers to simultaneously page the RU inall of the country's coverage areas.

If a transmitting tower 13 receives confirmation that the RU's pager 21has been accessed, then the tower sends the RU's pager 21 the pagingmessage originally input to the system by the OU via RF, microwave, orthe like. In such a manner, an OU may page an RU in any country aroundthe world serviced by the FIG. 1 paging system when the OU knows thewhereabouts or the RU.

In accordance with E-mail embodiments, the OU never needs to use aphone, but simply E-mails paging data (e.g. pager I.D., paging message,country to page RU in, etc.) to an originating web site 9 in the pagingsystem which takes care of the rest.

Let us now turn to the situation where the OU does not know thewhereabouts of the RU. In this scenario, the OU accesses an originatingweb site or server 9 of the paging system via E-mail or DTMF in the samemanner as set forth above, but cannot and does not enter the country orcoverage area where the RU is located (i.e. the OU does not know wherethe RU is located). While this process will be described in more detailbelow, a brief summary of the process in this situation follows.

The originating web site or server 9 accessed by the OU first looks upin its or the system's memory to see if the RU has input into the pagingsystem his or her expected whereabouts (i.e. if the RU has designated acountry, or in what country the RU may be located). If the system hasstored such information, then server 9 retrieves it and utilizes network3 to access the web site or server 9 in the designated country or areawhere the RU may be located. The site or server accessed in this areathen communicates with the appropriate tower and attempts to page theRU. When the RU's pager is accessed, the communication is completed withthe paging message being transmitted to the RU's pager 21.

However, when the RU's pager 21 cannot be accessed in the designatedarea, the receiving server (RS) 9 in this designated area transmitsrejection or non-connect data back to the originating server (OS) 9 vianetwork 3. Thereafter, the originating server 9 retrieves the country oraccess area list previously input by the RU and attempts to page the RUin the countries or access areas found on the RU's list in the order inwhich they are set forth (e.g. see FIG. 3). The system goes through eachcountry or area on the RU's list and attempts pages of the RU eitheruntil the system reaches the RU's pager 21 or until the system has gonethrough the RUs list of countries or coverage areas a predeterminednumber of times (e.g. two). Optionally, when a connection is made withthe RU's pager 21, a confirmation E-mail message is sent back to theOU's web site if he/she has one.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram/flow chart illustrating how a subscriber (RU)subscribes to the pager system and inputs particular location dataaccording to certain embodiments of this invention. When the subscriberor RU first subscribes to the paging system of FIG. 1, he or she isassigned a pager # (e.g. 212-xxx-yyyy) and a pin I.D. at 31. Followingthis assignment, the subscriber or RU inputs his or her “list” ofcountries to be serviced at 33. The RU will typically list all countriesor coverage areas 5-9 at 33 that he or she wishes to be reachable in byway of the paging system. In other words, the RU may not be paged in acountry or coverage area unless that country or area is listed in step33 (or is added at a later point in time by the RU calling the system,entering his pin #, and amending his or her list).

Then, or at the same time, the RU at 35 lists the countries in the orderhe or she wishes that they be accessed in the event that no country orarea has been designated. In other words, in step 35 the RU lists his orher accessible countries in the order in which he or she is most likelyto be in them. For example, if the RU spends most of his time in theU.S. and Japan, the next most amount of time in France, some time in theU.K., Spain, Brazil, and Australia, and very little time in Mexico, theRU would likely, in step 35, list his/her countries in the followingorder:

1. United States

2. Japan

3. France

4. Spain

5. United Kingdom

6. Brazil

7. Australia

8. Mexico

Given such a list, the RU may only be paged in these eight countries. Inthe event that no country is currently “designated” by the RU, thesystem will attempt to page the RU first in the U.S. a predeterminednumber of times, then in Japan said predetermined number of times, thenin France said predetermined number of times . . . and finally in Mexicosaid predetermined number of times. The system will attempt pages inthese countries and will repeat this process until either the RU's pageris accessed and acknowledges receipt of a page, or until the list hasbeen gone through a predetermined number of times (e.g. two).

After the RU has been entered into the system, given a pager, and isable to be paged, he/she may periodically enter into the paging system a“designated country” (i.e. what country the RU is in or expects to bein) at 37. For example, when the user leaves the U.S. and travels toAustralia on business, the RU may access a server 9 in the system viaE-mail or DTMF telephone, input his/her pin#, and then input ordesignate Australia as a “designated country.” When this is done, thepaging system will first attempt to page the RU in Australia each timehe/she is paged by an OU. If the RU cannot be reached in Australia (i.e.the designated country), the system resorts to the list input at 33 inthe order input at 35 and attempts to page the RU.

As shown in step 39, designated country data input by the RU isautomatically erased after a predetermined period of time (e.g. 30days). When deletion occurs, the system automatically pages the RU andinforms the RU that his/her designated country data has been deletedfrom the system. At this point in time, the RU may E-mail or call up anyweb site or server 9 in the paging system and either renew hisdesignated country or enter a new designated country or coverage area.

FIG. 3 illustrates a computer or PC screen shown to the RU prompting theRU to list his/her countries in the order discussed above in steps 33and 35. An exemplary list of countries input by an RU is also shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating how a subscriber or RU may“designate” a country to first be paged in according to certainembodiments of this invention. Two different methods are shown in FIG.4, methods A and B. According to method A, the subscriber or RU firsttelephones (or E-mails) any web site or server 9 of the system in step41. In step 43, the remotely calling subscriber may determine via DTMFinput whether or not a country or coverage area is currently designatedin his or her account. Then, in step 45, when no country is currentlydesignated or the subscriber wishes to designate a new country, thesubscriber inputs a new country for designation to the server by way ofeither DTMF or voice input. Optionally, the server may require theremotely calling subscriber to input his or her pin I.D. number forconfirmation and/or security purposes. After the designated country hasbeen entered in step 45, the server 9 communicates the new countrydesignation in step 47 to all other servers in the FIG. 1 paging systemvia network 3, each of the sites 9 storing the information in theirmemory in certain embodiments. As discussed above, country designationsmay automatically expire after a predetermined period of time (e.g.thirty days) unless renewed or programmed to be automatically renewed.See step 49.

Method B in FIG. 4 illustrates another process for designating acountry. Firstly, in step 51, the subscriber, using his PC, communicateswith a server 9 in the paging system via either E-mail or a modem viathe PSTN. Thereafter, in step 53 the subscriber determines if a countryis currently designated in his account. In step 55, the subscribereither renews his designation, or enters a new country to be designatedvia E-mail or the PSTN using his PC's keyboard. Then, in step 57, theserver 9 which had been in communication with the remotely callingsubscriber communicates via network 3 the new designated country for theuser's account to all servers in the paging system which store same.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating how a page is carried out accordingto certain embodiments of this invention. Firstly, in step 61, the OUeither telephones or E-mails an originating server 9 in order toinitiate a page to an RU. In step 63, the OU inputs the I.D. number ofthe RU's pager, and the paging message. After the RU's pager number hasbeen identified, the originating server 9 in step 65 determines whetheror not the RU currently has a designated country that he wishes to befirst paged in. If not, the originating server 9 causes the RU to bepaged in accordance with his previously entered list of countries intheir recited order at 67. See FIG. 3 for an exemplary list. Given theFIG. 3 list, for example, the system will first page the RU in theU.S.A., then in Canada, then in the U.K., etc., until either the RU'spager indicates receipt of a page or until this process has been carriedout at a predetermined number of times.

In the event that, in step 65, the originating server 9 determines thata country has been “designated” in the RU's account, the paging data andmessage is transmitted over network 3 to a remote or terminator server 9located in the designated country or coverage area at 69. Thereafter, instep 71, the terminator server 9 in the designated country or areacauses the RU to be paged via a corresponding tower 13. If the page isacknowledged by the RU's pager in step 73, then the RU or subscriber isbilled accordingly in step 75 and his or her country designation isextended for another five days according to one option. If, however, theterminator server 9 in the designated country in step 73 does notreceive acknowledgment from the RU's pager, then the terminator servercauses the terminating tower to repeat the page a number (Z) of times inthe designated country. See step 77. Each time the paging process isrepeated in the designated country, the predetermined number beinglessened by one after each attempt (Z=Z−1).

When it is determined in step 79 that Z finally equals 0, the systemstops attempting to page the RU in the designated country, and retrievesthe RU's list of service countries and performs pages therein apredetermined number of times as discussed above in step 81. In step 81,the paging systems continues to page the RU in his listed countriesuntil either receipt of the page is confirmed 83, or until the processhas been performed a predetermined number of times. If the page isconfirmed, the subscriber is billed accordingly in step 75. According tocertain alternative embodiments, if a page is confirmed 83 during thestep 81 process, then in step 75 the RU's designated country may beautomatically changed so as to correspond to the country or coveragearea in which the page was confirmed at 83. After step 75, thetransaction is ended 85.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram/flow chart illustrating how a particularsubscriber or RU is billed according to certain embodiments of thisinvention. Typically, subscribers are billed on a monthly basis. In step91, the subscriber or RU is billed a predetermined amount per month foreach country listed on the RU's “list” (see FIG. 3). Additionally, eachcountry on the RU's list may cost a different amount of money. Forexample, having the U.S. on one's list may be more expensive per monththan Mexico or Brazil. In any event, the RU is billed monthly for hislisted countries. In step 93, it is determined whether or not the RU'saccount had a “designated country” for each day of the applicable month.If a country was designated each day of the month, then in step 95 theRU is billed a predetermined amount per day for the designations. Thebilling in step 95 is over and above the monthly billing determined instep 91. When it is determined at 93 that, for example, no country wasdesignated in the RU's account for ten days in the applicable month,then, in step 97, the RU is not additionally billed for those ten days.However, in step 97, the RU is additionally billed for the twenty or sodays in the applicable month in which a country was designated.Thereafter, in step 99, the RU is billed for the amount of air time usedand applicable network charges such as long distance and the like. Instep 101, a monthly billing statement is sent to the RU either to hishome address or to his web site over net via E-mail.

In accordance with certain cellular telephone embodiments of thisinvention, one cell phone user 23 may telephone a local web site orserver 9 via a corresponding tower 13 and transmitter/receiver 11. Oncecommunicating with the local web site or server 9, the cell phone callermay input the telephone number of a cellular telephone of a callee. Uponreceiving the callee's telephone number, the local web site or server 9looks up in its memory to see if the callee has a “designated” countryor coverage area as discussed above. If so, the telephone signal ispacketized and transmitted over network 3 to a receiver web site orserver in the country or area designated by the callee for depacketizingand transmission mission via a tower 13 to the callee's cellular phone.In other words, this process is similar to that discussed above with thepagers, except that cellular phone information is transmitted as opposedto paging information. Meanwhile, if the server 9 determines that nocountry is designated, the system attempts to call the callee's phone inthe countries on his or her “list” (see FIG. 3) in the order in whichthe countries are listed as discussed above. When the callee's cellularphone is finally reached, the caller and callee may carry on a telephoneconversation with the voice data being transmitted back and forthbetween the two respective servers 9 and packet switched digital datanetwork 3. This avoids the need for long distance calling according tocertain embodiments of this invention. Billing is carried out for cellphone embodiments in accordance with FIG. 6 as discussed above.

Once give the above disclosure, many other features, modifications, andimprovements will become apparent to the skilled artisan. Such otherfeatures, modifications, and improvements are, therefore, considered tobe a part of this invention, the scope of which is to be determined bythe following claims.

1. A method of paging a receiving user in a country-selective globalpaging system, the method comprising: providing a global paging systemspanning a plurality of different countries around the world, the globalpaging system including a plurality of servers in different countries,each of the servers being in communication with at least one wirelesstransmitter for transmitting a paging message to a pager of thereceiving user; interconnecting the servers by way of a land-basedpacket-switched digital data network so as to permit digitalcommunication of signals between the plurality of servers via thepacket-switched digital data network; an originating user telephoning afirst web site or server located in a first country in order to page thereceiving user who is located in a secondary country different from thefirst country, the originating user not necessarily knowing what countrythe receiving user is located in; the paging system determining if thesecond country is currently designated by the receiving user as adesignated country in which the paging system is to attempt to page thereceiving user; when the paging system determines that the secondcountry has been designated by the receiving user, sending a pagingcommunication over the packet-switched digital data network to a secondweb site or server in the second country instructing the second web siteor server to initiate paging the receiving user in the second country;and when the paging system determines that the second country has notbeen designated by the receiving user, the paging system initiatingpaging operations in another country in a predetermined order in anattempt to page the receiving user.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe digital data network comprises the Internet.
 3. The method of claim1, wherein the receiving user in the second country responds to the pagefrom the second country.
 4. A system for paging a receiving user in acountry-selective paging system, comprising: a paging system spanning aplurality of different countries of the world, the paging systemincluding a plurality of servers, and wireless transmitters in differentcountries for transmitting paging messages to receiving users; at leasta packet-switched digital data network interconnecting servers so as topermit digital communication of signals between the plurality of serversvia at least the packet-switched digital data network; a first websiteor server located in a first country for allowing an originating user topage the receiving user who may be located in a second country differentfrom the first country, the originating user not necessarily knowingwhat country the receiving user is located in; wherein the paging systemdetermines if the second country is currently designated by thereceiving user as a designated country in which the paging system is toattempt to page the receiving user; when the paging system determinesthat the second country has been designated by the receiving user, meansfor sending a paging communication via at least the packet-switcheddigital data network to a second website or server, the second websiteor server being in communication with a wireless transmitter located inthe second country, and wherein the paging communication causes thesecond website or server to initiate paging the receiving user via thewireless transmitter in the second country; and when the paging systemdetermines that the second country has not been designated by thereceiving user, the paging system initiates paging operations in anothercountry in a predetermined order in an attempt to page the receivinguser.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the digital data networkcomprises the Internet.
 6. The system of claim 4, further includingmeans for the receiving user confirming receipt of a paging message, andwherein said paging operations in said another country are performed apredetermined number of times attempting to page the receiving user. 7.The system of claim 4, further comprising means for the originating usercommunicating with the first web site or server via email to causepaging of the receiving user.
 8. The system of claim 4, wherein thesecond country is designated by the receiving user via a phone.
 9. Asystem for paging a receiving user in a multi-country paging system,comprising: a paging system spanning a plurality of countries, thepaging system including a plurality of computers in different countriesand wireless transmitters for transmitting paging messages to receivingusers; at least a digital data network interconnecting computers so asto permit digital communication of signals between the plurality ofcomputers via at least the digital data network; a first computerlocated in a first country operable for allowing an originating user topage the receiving user who may be located in a second country differentfrom the first country, the originating user not necessarily knowingwhat country the receiving user is located in; means for determiningwhether the second country is currently designated by the receiving useras a designated country in which the paging system is to attempt to pagethe receiving user; means for sending a paging communication via atleast the digital data network to a second computer, the second computerbeing in communication with a wireless transmitter located in the secondcountry, and when it is determined that the second country has beendesignated by the receiving user causing the second computer toimplement paging the receiving user via the wireless transmitter in thesecond country; when the paging system determines that the secondcountry has not been designated by the receiving user, means for thepaging system initiating paging operations in another country in apredetermined order in an attempt to page the receiving user; andwherein designation of a country in which the receiving user is to bepaged is performed remotely by at least the receiving user.
 10. Thesystem of claim 9, further comprising means for the originating usercommunicating with the first computer via electronic mail to causepaging of the receiving user.
 11. A system for paging a receiving uservia a website and a digital data network, comprising: a) a website forreceiving a paging signal from an originating user, the originating userbeing located in a first country and the paging signal including adevice ID of the receiving user and a paging message to be sent to thereceiving user; b) means for designating a second country, from aplurality of potential countries, in which the receiving user is to bepaged, by using country data; c) means for transmitting the pagingmessage over at least a digital data network to a computer, the computerbeing in communication with a wireless transmitter that is located inthe designated second country; d) the computer causing the wirelesstransmitter located in the second country to page the receiving user;and wherein said designating by the means for designating in b) iscarried out by the originating user when the originating userelectronically messages the website, the originating user inputting thecountry data to the website to designate the second country.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein the designating of the second country isperformed using a computer.
 13. The system of claim 11, furtherincluding, when the system determines that the second country has notbeen designated, means for the paging system initiating pagingoperations in another country in a predetermined order in an attempt topage the receiving user.
 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the digitaldata network comprises the Internet.
 15. The system of claim 11, whereindesignating by the means for designating is carried out remotely by thereceiving user.
 16. A paging system for paging a receiving user via apacket-switched digital data network, comprising: a first serverallowing an originating user to send a paging signal via the firstserver, the first server being located in a first country and the pagingsignal including a pager ID of the receiving user and a paging messageto be sent to the receiving user; means for designating a secondcountry, from a plurality of potential countries, in which the receivinguser is to be paged; means for transmitting the pager ID and the pagingmessage over at least a packet-switched digital data network to a secondserver, the second server for communicating with a wireless transmitterthat is located in the designated second country; the second serverincluding means for causing the wireless transmitter located in thesecond country to send the paging message to the receiving user; andwhen the paging system determines that the second country has not beendesignated by the receiving user, means for the paging system initiatingpaging operations in another country in a predetermined order in anattempt to page the receiving user.
 17. The system of claim 16, whereinsaid designating of the second country is carried out at least by theoriginating user sending country data to the first server.
 18. Thesystem of claim 16, wherein designation of a country in which thereceiving user is to be paged is performed remotely by at least thereceiving user, and wherein said paging operations in said anothercountry are performed a predetermined number of times attempting to pagethe receiving user.
 19. A method of sending and receiving paging signalsvia at least a digital data network, the method comprising: anoriginating user sending a paging signal via a website, and the pagingsignal including a paging message to be sent to a receiving user; in theoriginating country: designating a page receiving country, from aplurality of potential countries, in which a receiving user is to bepaged, by using country data, wherein designating is performed by theoriginating user when the originating user inputs the paging signal tothe website; in a page receiving country: transmitting a device ID of areceiving user, and a paging message which came from another country,over at least a digital data network to a computer, and the computercausing a wireless transmitter located in the page receiving country topage a receiving user in the page receiving country; and whereindesignating is carried out by the originating user when the originatinguser electronically messages the website, the originating user inputtingthe country data to the website to designate a page receiving country.20. The method of claim 19, wherein the designating of the pagereceiving country is performed by the originating user using a computer.21. A system for sending and receiving paging signals via at least adigital data network, comprising: means, in an originating country, forallowing an originating user to send a paging signal to a websitelocated in the originating country, the paging signal including a pagingmessage to be sent to a receiving user; means, in the originatingcountry, for allowing the originating user to designate a page receivingcountry from a plurality of potential countries in which a receivinguser is to be paged, by using country data, wherein the designating isperformed by the originating user when the originating userelectronically messages the website, the originating user inputting thecountry data to the website; means, in a page receiving country, fortransmitting a device ID of a receiving user, and a paging message whichcame from another country, over at least the digital data network to acomputer means that is located in the page receiving country, and thecomputer means that is located in the page receiving country causing awireless transmitter located in the page receiving country to page areceiving user in the page receiving country; and wherein saiddesignating performed by the means for designating is carried out in theoriginating country by the originating user when the originating userelectronically messages the website, the originating user inputting thecountry data to the website to designate a page receiving country. 22.The system of claim 21, wherein designating of the page receivingcountry, performed by the means for designating, is performed by theoriginating user via a computer.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein thesystem further comprises means for permitting a device of the receivinguser in the page receiving country to send a confirmation signalconfirming receipt of the paging message.
 24. The system of claim 21,wherein the digital data network comprises the Internet.
 25. The systemof claim 21, wherein designating by the means for designating is carriedout remotely by the receiving user via a phone.
 26. A system for paginga receiving user via a website, the system comprising: a) a websiteallowing an originating user in a first country to send a paging signalvia the website, wherein the paging signal sent via the website from theoriginating user includes a device ID of the receiving user and a pagingmessage to be sent to the receiving user; b) means for designating asecond country, from a plurality of potential countries, in which thereceiving user is to be paged, by using country data; c) means fortransmitting the device ID of the receiving user, and the pagingmessage, over at least a digital data network to a computer, thecomputer for communicating with a wireless transmitter that is locatedin the designated second country; d) the computer for causing thewireless transmitter located in the designated second country to pagethe receiving user; and wherein said designating by the means fordesignating in b) is carried out by the originating user when theoriginating user electronically messages the website, the originatinguser inputting the country data to the website to designate the secondcountry.
 27. A system for paging a receiving user via a website, thesystem comprising: a) a website allowing an originating user in a firstcountry to send a paging signal via the website, wherein the pagingsignal sent via the website from the originating user includes a pagingmessage to be sent to the receiving user; b) wherein the originatinguser, via the website, designates a second country from a plurality ofpotential countries in which the receiving user is to be paged, by usingcountry data; c) a computer for receiving the paging message via atleast a digital data network, and wherein the computer communicates witha wireless transmitter that is located in the second country that hasbeen designated; d) the computer causing the wireless transmitter thatis located in the second country that has been designated to page thereceiving user; and wherein designating in b) is carried out by theoriginating user when the originating user electronically messages thewebsite, the originating user inputting the country data to the websiteto designate the second country.
 28. The system of claim 27, wherein thedigital data network comprises the Internet.
 29. The system of claim 27,wherein designation of the second country in which the receiving user isto be paged is further carried out remotely by the receiving user.
 30. Asystem for paging a receiving user using a website, in a paging system,comprising: a paging system including a plurality of computers andwireless transmitters for transmitting paging messages to receivingusers; at least a digital data network interconnecting computers so asto permit communication of signals between the plurality of computersvia at least the digital data network; a website allowing an originatinguser in a first country to page the receiving user who may be located ina second country different from the first country, the originating usernot necessarily knowing what country the receiving user is located in;wherein, in order to page the receiving user, the originating user inthe first country inputs a device ID of the receiving user and a pagingmessage to be sent to the receiving user using the website; at least onecomputer determining whether the second country is currently designatedby the receiving user as a country in which the paging system is toattempt to page the receiving user; a wireless transmitter that islocated in the second country, and when the second country has beendesignated, the wireless transmitter in the second country receiving thepaging message to be sent to the receiving user and causing the pagingmessage to be transmitted to a device of the receiving user in thesecond country; and when the paging system determines that the secondcountry has not been designated by the receiving user, means for thepaging system initiating paging operations in another country in apredetermined order in an attempt to page the receiving user.
 31. Thesystem of claim 30, further comprising: means for permitting thereceiving user in the second country to confirm receipt of a pagingmessage; and wherein when the paging system determines that the secondcountry has not been designated by the receiving user, means for thepaging system causing paging operations in a plurality of othercountries from a predetermined list in attempts to page the receivinguser.
 32. The system of claim 30, wherein the digital data networkcomprises the Internet.
 33. The system of claim 30, wherein designationof the second country in which the receiving user is to be paged iscarried out remotely by the receiving user.
 34. A system for paging areceiving user via at least a packet-switched digital data network, thesystem comprising: a) a first computer for receiving an electronic mailfrom an originating user, the electronic mail being addressed to areceiving user, the first computer being located in a first country, andthe electronic mail from the originating user including a paging messageto be sent to the receiving user; b) means for designating a secondcountry in which the receiving user is to receive the paging message; c)the first computer operable to cause the paging message to be sent overat least a packet-switched digital data network to a second computer,wherein the second computer communicates with a wireless transmitterthat is located in the designated second country in which the receivinguser is to receive the paging message; d) when it is determined that thesecond country has been designated by the receiving user, the secondcomputer operable to cause the wireless transmitter that is located inthe second country to transmit the paging message to a device of thereceiving user; wherein designating of the second country in which thereceiving user is to receive the paging message, by the means fordesignating, is carried out remotely by the receiving user in the secondcountry; wherein the designating of the second country by the receivinguser is carried out by the receiving user via a phone; and wherein, whenthe paging system determines that the second country has not beendesignated by the receiving user, the paging system initiating pagingoperations in another country in a predetermined order in an attempt topage the receiving user.
 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the digitaldata network comprises the Internet, and wherein the system furthercomprises means for the device of the receiving user in the secondcountry sending a confirmation signal confirming receipt of the pagingmessage.
 36. A method of paging a receiving user in a country-selectivepaging system, the method comprising: providing a plurality of serversand a plurality of wireless transmitters for transmitting pagingmessages to receiving users; interconnecting servers via at least adigital data network so as to permit digital communication of signalsbetween the plurality of servers via at least the digital data network;providing a first website or server located in an originating countryfor allowing an originating user to page the receiving user who may belocated in a page receiving country different from the originatingcountry, the originating user not necessarily knowing what country thereceiving user is located in; determining if the page receiving countryis currently designated by the receiving user as a designated country inwhich the paging system is to attempt to page the receiving user; whenthe paging system determines that the page receiving country has beendesignated by the receiving user, sending a paging communication via atleast the digital data network toward a second website or server so thatthe user can be paged in the page receiving country; and when the pagingsystem determines that the page receiving country has not beendesignated by the receiving user, the paging system initiating pagingoperations in another country in a predetermined order in an attempt topage the receiving user.
 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the digitaldata network comprises the Internet.
 38. The method of claim 36, whereinthe page receiving country is designated by the receiving user via aphone.
 39. The method of claim 36, further comprising the receiving userin the page receiving country confirming receipt of a paging message.